


We Could Be Happy

by WritingYay



Series: 4 am adventures [3]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: 4 am, Angst, Curing my writer's block, Early morning chats, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluffy Ending, M/M, Part of Series, References to Cheating, Relationship Issues, Swearing, Toxic Relationship, sorry for the angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-18 05:11:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13093095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritingYay/pseuds/WritingYay
Summary: "We'll be okay, right? Me, you and Liv?""Probably not." Aaron truthfully answered. "I can't promise I won't see sense. But for now? Yeah, pal." He brought a heavy hand down on his husband's shoulder. "Me, you and Liv. And Gerry. Because for some reason, he's still here."





	We Could Be Happy

"You've got to be having a laugh." Robert exclaimed and went to flick the kitchen light on, dutifully ignoring the silhouette and build of the person hunched in a chair. "I thought we were past this, Olivia?"

Bright lights exploded on, making Robert blink rapidly to chase away those annoying dots swirling in his vision.

"Oh." His tone dropped, replaced with one of confusion. "A?"

Aaron took a while to drag his gaze up from his hands, but when he met Robert's eyes, the older man's stomach immediately dropped.

"Hey?" He whispered, noticing from Aaron's posture that he didn't want to be touched. "I didn't realise you weren't in bed?" 

There was an evident ambience of tension radiating from the mechanic. His breathing was laboured and dark rings marred his eyes.

"I've not been here long..." He twisted round to glance at the clock, surprise jumping to his face. "Oh, it's four already? I've been here longer than I thought then. Huh, time flies by when you're having fun." 

Robert picked up on the bitterness lacing Aaron's voice and clenched his jaw. "What's up?" 

Expecting a reply of "nothing" or "just fucking leave it, Robert", Robert was extremely surprised to hear: "Let's not do this." 

He blinked. "Sorry?" 

Aaron sighed in irritation and ground his palms dangerously into his eye sockets. 

"Let's not do the same boring shit. You know something's up, I know you're coming to the wrong conclusions, you know I won't tell you, I know that I'll end up telling you and so do you but for some reason we do the same bloody charade every time." 

"Okay..." Robert replied slowly. "What would you like me to do then?" 

This time, Aaron looked up and held Robert's gaze like a vice. "Listen?" 

Robert frowned. "I do listen to you." 

"No." Aaron challenged with a forced laugh. "You hear me- sure, you understand the words- yeah, but do you ever register what I'm saying? Do you ever actually listen?"

Weakly, Robert swallowed and crossed his arms. "Of course I listen to you-"

"When we argued last week, about you and Rebecca- again- you weren't listening to me."

The argument in question came to the forefront of Robert's mind and his frown deepened. "We were arguing about my bisexuality. You still don't trust me." 

Aaron threw his hands up. "Exactly. That's what you think. I don't trust you Robert, because of your mistakes. You have a child with the woman. You cheated on me, it doesn't matter whether it was with a man or a woman, you were unfaithful. That's what I mean, Rob. Your bisexuality doesn't matter to me. You're you and for some reason that I'm really struggling to remember, I love you."

Robert was lost. "What does this have to do with anything?" 

"It means-" Aaron visibly clenched his jaw and inhaled deeply to calm himself. "It means, that you clearly don't listen. I'm insecure about everything because of what you've done. I'm not insecure because you're bi, I panic about anybody that's a threat because you've proven that you can happily have your cake and eat it. But, you never listen, do you?! This is what I was telling you last week and all you hear is a personal attack on you?!" 

A growl escaped Robert's throat. "You're not being fair. I do listen to you, all the bloody time but there's always something with you isn't there? He scraped another a chair across the floor, Aaron recoiling at the sound, and dropped in front of Aaron so they were sat face to face.

Aaron bit his lip and shook his head tiredly. "Why do I do this to myself? Is this worth it?" 

Knowing he wasn't going to get anywhere acting like a dick, Robert changed tactic and held his hands out placatingly. "This sounds too similar to a break up and we're too exhausted to handle this like adults." 

Aaron's breath hitched. "I'm so tired, Rob. Of this." To Robert's dismay, his posture melted and a sheen developed in his eyes; something Robert hated how much he'd seen.

"Aaron, don't-"

"I'm sorry I'm not good enough for you." He whispered, every word accumulating into one broken and devastated phrase that sent a stab of pain through Robert's heart.

With a whimper, he pulled Aaron closer to him and pressed his lips to the side of the other man's head; Aaron's shoulders shaking in his arms.

"Don't say that. You are fucking good enough. You are, you are."

"But you-"

Robert leant back suddenly to grab Aaron's face so their eyes were locked.

"I know. I... I know. I've done horrible things. Unforgivable things. Honestly, you were downright mad to even think about taking me back. I don't deserve you. You don't deserve this. We shouldn't be together, we tear each other apart and Aaron- Fuck. You're mad to still want me and I wouldn't be surprised if you change your mind. But you have to know, whenever we are apart I will fight with every fibre of my being to win you back. I love you too much to stand back and watch the best thing in my life pass me by. I'm sorry that I mess you around but... I married you for a reason, I s'pose."

Aaron exhaled heavily and closed his eyes for a beat.

"Shut up." He whispered, a small smile dancing on his lips, contrapuntal to the tears still gliding down onto Robert's thumbs. "It's 4 o'clock in the sodding morning. Please, shut up. I know I'm mad. But I love you too, you git, even though all you do is bring me trouble."

Headlights beamed into the kitchen as a delivery truck roared past, illuminating Robert's chuckle. He gently ghosted his fingers down Aaron's jawline.

"Thank you for kindly allowing me to have that missing piece of my heart back."

"Yes alright, Austen." Aaron wrinkled his nose in mock distaste. "Soppy romance just isn't you." 

Robert raised his eyebrows and tilted his head to the side. "Did you just use a literary reference?!" 

A snort followed by a long eye roll animated Aaron's features; any remain of the night's previous grievances slowly disappearing back into the shadows. 

"Jacob was revising something of hers in the shop earlier. It's been imprinted in my mind; all our clients will have Wuthering Heights quotes instead of invoices tomorrow." 

Robert shook his head. "Wrong book, mate." 

"Shut up." Aaron slapped his arm and made an obvious gesture for Robert to stand up. They rose together like a fallen kingdom (Aaron groaned when Robert voiced this simile to him; Robert was incredulous when Aaron couldn't define a simile) and met in an embrace.

"You can't blame me for being insecure." Aaron muttered against Robert's shoulder.

"I don't. You have every right to be." Robert murmured back and paced a kiss against Aaron's neck. "And I'm sorry." 

Aaron sighed.

"Please stop apologising. We're back together, yeah? Don't question it."

They pulled apart and smiled softly at each other: the man with the façade and the man with the only power to shatter it.

"We'll be okay, right? Me, you and Liv?" 

"Probably not." Aaron truthfully answered. "I can't promise I won't see sense. But for now? Yeah, pal." He brought a heavy hand down on his husband's shoulder. "Me, you and Liv. And Gerry. Because for some reason, he's still here." 

Laughter lit up the kitchen followed by the comforting sound of happiness as they retreated back to bed, ready to face anything in the morning. Together.

**Author's Note:**

> After literally not having any imagination or inspiration for the past two months, I present this: late night and chocolate-induced waffle.
> 
> I have a soft spot for my 4 am series so decided to add to it, hopefully this will get the ball rolling again! Sorry for the absence, but when your brain says no, your brain says no!
> 
> Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all,
> 
> WritingYay


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